Registered Nurse (RN)

Hospice Registered Nurse (RN) – On-Call / Overnight / Weekend Response

Status: Per Diem

Pay range: $45.00 to $52.00

Position Summary

The Hospice On-Call Response RN provides overnight and weekend on-call nursing care and clinical support to hospice patients and families in homes, assisted living facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and other care settings. This role is responsible for responding promptly and compassionately to patient deaths, pain or symptom crises, urgent nursing needs, after-hours triage calls, and completing hospice admissions when needed.

The Hospice On-Call Response RN plays a critical role in ensuring patients receive timely, in-person clinical intervention when needed - not solely phone triage. The ideal candidate is highly compassionate, clinically confident, responsive, and willing to physically visit patients overnight to manage uncontrolled symptoms, provide end-of-life support, and prevent unnecessary suffering or hospitalization.

This position requires strong independent judgment, excellent communication skills, and a deep commitment to hospice philosophy and patient-centered care.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Patient Care & Crisis Response

• Respond promptly to after-hours hospice calls from patients, families, caregivers, and facilities.
• Perform skilled nursing assessments in patient homes and facilities during overnight hours.
• Provide in-person intervention for pain crises, symptom exacerbations, respiratory distress, agitation, anxiety, active dying, falls, or other urgent clinical concerns.
• Evaluate when a phone intervention is appropriate versus when an in-person visit is clinically necessary.
• Deliver compassionate end-of-life care and emotional support to patients and families.
• Administer and/or educate caregivers regarding medications, comfort measures, and symptom management.
• Provide crisis management aimed at preventing unnecessary ER visits and hospitalizations whenever appropriate.

Death Visits & Pronouncements

• Respond to patient deaths promptly and professionally.
• Complete nursing components related to patient deaths, including:
• Pronouncement procedures per state regulations and agency policy
• Family support and emotional care
• Notification of physician, funeral home, and interdisciplinary team
• Support families with dignity, compassion, and professionalism during post-mortem care.

Admissions & Intake Responsibilities

• Complete after-hours hospice admissions as needed.
• Perform comprehensive nursing assessments and admission documentation.
• Educate patients and families regarding hospice philosophy, services, medications, and plan of care.
• Initiate care plans and coordinate necessary durable medical equipment, medications, and supplies.
• Ensure smooth transition of patients into hospice services during overnight and after-hours periods.

Triage & Communication

• Manage weekend/overnight phone triage for hospice patients and caregivers.
• Use sound nursing judgment to determine urgency and appropriate response level.
• Document all calls, interventions, assessments, and outcomes accurately and thoroughly.

Clinical Documentation

• Complete timely, accurate electronic medical record documentation.
• Ensure all nursing notes, death visit notes, triage communications, and interventions meet regulatory and agency standards.

Required Qualifications

• Current Registered Nurse (RN) license in the State of Colorado in good standing.
• Minimum of 2 years nursing experience required.
• Hospice, palliative care, ER, ICU, oncology, or home health experience strongly preferred.
• Valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and proof of insurance.
• Ability and willingness to travel overnight to patient homes and facilities.
• PR certification required.
• Experience completing hospice admissions preferred.
• Strong assessment and admission documentation skills.

Preferred Skills & Attributes

• Strong hospice philosophy and compassionate bedside manner.
• Ability to work independently and make critical decisions overnight without direct supervision.
• Excellent pain and symptom management skills.
• Comfortable handling end-of-life situations and difficult family dynamics.
• Strong communication, de-escalation, and crisis intervention abilities.

The employer for this position is stated in the job posting. The Pennant Group, Inc. is a holding company of independent operating subsidiaries that provide healthcare services through home health and hospice agencies and senior living communities located throughout the US. Each of these businesses is operated by a separate, independent operating subsidiary that has its own management, employees and assets. More information about The Pennant Group, Inc. is available at http://www.pennantgroup.com.